Out of the Shadows
by ELiXiR2722
Summary: What was supposed to be a lovely night turned out to be the most hideous night of Jim and Pam's lives. Something's wrong with Pam, and Jim is scared to death. Set in season 5.
1. Chapter 1

**This fic is very personal to me. What Pam goes through here is what my mother goes through all the time, and I have put my fear into Jim.**  
**This is about epilepsy. If you can't handle that, turn away now.  
This is set sometime after Pam comes back from New York in season 5.**  
**Not only is this my first Office fic, this is my first fic EVER! So...i might suck.**

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

What was supposed to be a lovely night turned out to be the most hideous night of Jim and Pam's lives.

It was a rather boring day in the office. Jim made a few sales. Nothing exciting there. The highlight of his day at work was his prank on Dwight. He

poured a good amount of salt in his coffee when he wasn't looking. Not his best prank. He's been slacking off a bit lately when it came to pranks, but that's because he's been spending most of his time with Pam now that she's back from New York.

Jim got up from his desk and made his way over to reception.

"Hey,"

"Hey you!" Pam said, looking up from her computer.

"What do you say to us heading out a little early?"

"I don't know. What's in it for me?"

"Free dinner?"

"Hmm...."

Jim looked at her with anticipation.

"And a back rub?" she asked with a huge, hopeful smile on her face.

Jim can never say no to her. "Obviously," he said.

* * *

After dinner, Jim and Pam made their way home. The very second they walked in the front door they headed for the living room, and sank into the couch cushions. Jim turned on the TV and started flipping through channels.

Pam turned to Jim. "Hey," she said, getting his attention. "Someone owes me a back rub, Halpert."

He chuckled at that. "I believe that someone would be me."

Pam slid onto the floor in front of him. Jim began massaging her very tense shoulders, and worked his way down.

"Jesus Beesly, you are tense!"

"Yeah, I've just been so stressed lately."

Jim was worried hearing that. "Why is that?" he asked.

"Just, you know," she said softly. "The whole failing art school thing."

Pam sniffled and Jim knew she was crying. Jim wrapped his arms around her.

"Everything's going to be okay Pam," he whispered to her. "You can always go back. And I'll always be here for you, no matter what."

Pam nodded and wiped her tears away. She got back on the couch and snuggled up to Jim. She kissed him softly on the lips. "I love you," she said.

* * *

Thirty minutes later, Pam started to feel weird. She had a terrible taste in her mouth. She then saw a strange, dark shadow to her right.

And then...nothing.

* * *

Jim saw Pam slowly turn her head. She was staring at something, but what?

"Pam?" Jim tried getting her attention. "Is there something or some_one_ over there?" He got up from the couch to look but saw nothing.

Jim turned back toward the couch to see Pam wide-eyed and looking terrified. Her body shook stiffly.

"Pam!" he cried, running over to her. He put a hand on her shoulder. His heart was racing. "Pam, what-"

He was so scared he couldn't speak.

Pam's eyes rolled back. She fell backward and started convulsing on the couch. She was turning blue, and Jim was pretty sure she wasn't breathing.

He didn't know what to do. Panicked, he reached into his pocket for his cell phone and dialed 911.

"911, what's your emergency?" Jim just couldn't think.

"Umm...uhh..." Jim took a deep breath and tried again. "There's something wrong with my fiance."

**Should I continue? Please review, even if it's to tell me I suck.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Ugh, I'm not real crazy about this chapter, but I re-wrote it so many times so I'm posting it. Hope you like it anyway.**

Jim was a nervous wreck, but even that was an understatement. He was pacing back and forth while on the phone trying to explain what happened to Pam. When the 911 operator told him what was going on, he thought he was going to have a panic attack.

Pam had a seizure...His Pam had a seizure...The love of his life had a seizure.

Jim just couldn't wrap his head around that one. He doesn't remember much of the phone call. All he knows is that paramedics are on the way.

He rushed to Pam's side. She looks like she's trying to breathe, but she just can't. She's still not there, but the violent shaking has stopped. Jim can't just sit there and wait for the paramedics to show up. He needs Pam breathing, and he needs it now.

He sealed his lips over hers and forced air into her lungs. He moved his hands on her chest and began pressing down on her sternum.

_Come on, come on_, Jim thought to himself.

Just as Pam started breathing, the paramedics were at the door. Jim let them in, and lead them to Pam. They put an oxygen mask on her. Jim just stood there feeling helpless.

One of the paramedics turned to Jim. "You might want to go get some Tylenol or something," he said. "When she comes out of this, she is going to be in a lot of pain."

Jim nodded and went to fetch the Tylenol and water. When he returned, Pam was regaining consciousness. Jim could do a back-flip, he was so happy to see her again. He handed the water and Tylenol to one of the paramedics to give to Pam.

Pam downed the pills and looked around. She had this puzzled look on her face.

"Do you know your name?" one of the paramedics asked her.

"Pam," she said. She was still confused. She had this look on her face that seemed like she wanted to say 'Of course I know my fucking name.'

"Is this your fiance?" the paramedic pointed at Jim. Pam nodded. "Do you know his name?"

"Jim," she answered.

"Alright, no memory loss."

Pam looked up at Jim. He looked upset. Why did he look so upset? What the hell happened?

All of Pam's questions were being answered as the paramedic told her about her seizure.

Then he asked, "Have you ever had one before?" Pam shook her head no. "Hmm...are you dehydrated? Stressed out?"

Pam looked down. "Yeah I have been stressed out lately," she said.

"That could be the cause of it. Do you need us to take you to the hospital?"

"NO!" Pam cried.

"Are you sure?"

"Please just...no. I'm fine." Pam knew she probably sounded like a stubborn little brat, but the thought of going to the hospital scared her. It was just a one time thing anyway, right? Why go to the hospital?

The paramedics packed up and left. Jim sat down next to Pam.

"How are you feeling?" he asked her concerned.

"Like I was hit by a truck," she chuckled. "My head is killing me."

"Why didn't you want to go to the hospital?"

"What's the point? If it's just stress, then I'll just have to work on that. I'll be fine."

Jim sighed. "Okay, if you really think so."

Pam nodded. "I do, thanks."

* * *

That night as Jim held Pam while she was sleeping, he couldn't seem to fall asleep himself. What if it did happen again? He needs to know what to do. He planted a gentle kiss on her forehead, and slid out of bed. He got his laptop out from under the bed, and went out into the living room.

He sat on the couch and looked up info on seizures and what to do. He came across one very helpful site with a list of things to do.

_Stay Calm_

_Prevent injury. During the seizure, you can exercise your common sense by insuring there is nothing within reach that could harm the person._

_Pay attention to the length of the seizure._

_Make the person as comfortable as possible._

_DO NOT hold the person down. If the person having a seizure thrashes around there is no need for you to restrain them. Remember to consider your safety as well._

_DO NOT put anything in the person's mouth. Contrary to popular belief, a person having a seizure is incapable of swallowing their tongue so you can breathe easy in the knowledge that you do not have to stick your fingers into the mouth of someone in this condition._

_DO NOT give the person water, pills, or food until fully alert._

_If the seizure continues for longer than five minutes, call 911._

_After the seizure, the person should be placed on their left side. Keep in mind there is a small risk of post-seizure vomiting, before the person is fully alert. Therefore, the person's head should be turned so that any vomit will drain out of the mouth without being inhaled. Stay with the person until they recover (5 to 20 minutes)._

Jim wrote everything down, and then shut off his laptop. He feels better knowing what to do. He went back to bed and spooned Pam. He breathed in her scent, and within minutes he finally fell asleep.


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey guys! Wow, I am SO SORRY that it took me so long to update this. I had major writer's block and too many distractions, like the Phoenix Film Festival. That took up a lot of my time. But here it is, chapter 3! Finally!**

**Also, I wanna thank my awesome beta, officejam, for being patient with me. You rock! :D

* * *

**

The next morning, the alarm went off, and Jim woke up without Pam by his side. He rolled out of bed and made his way to the kitchen to make his daily morning cup of coffee and to find Pam. She was sitting at the table; her head was in her hands and her own mug of coffee was cooling on the table in front of her. Jim sat down next to her, forgetting about the coffee and making her the priority. "How are you feeling?" he asked her.

Pam looked up at him. "Shitty," she answered, taking a sip of her coffee.

"Maybe you should stay home today," he suggested. She gave him a puzzled look over the rim of her mug. "Yeah, just call in sick. It'll be fine."

"Jim, no," she protested, but he wasn't going to let her win this one.

"Come on, Pam," he pleaded. "Just spend the day getting better. Please?"

"Alright, fine," she sighed, defeated.

Jim flashed his lopsided smile at her, then stood up and kissed the top of her head. "I'm going to go get ready for work," he said. "You go relax. That's an order."

Pam giggled. "Yes, Master."

When Jim left the room, Pam shuffled into the living room and plopped herself on the couch. She turned the TV on, hoping she could find something to distract her. She flipped through the channels, but nothing sufficed and soon she found herself bored. _Maybe a little nap will help_, she thought to herself. She laid down, closed her eyes and willed herself to go to sleep, but her head was killing her. She sighed and was frustrated, because she knew sleep was not about to happen.

Jim came out of the bedroom in his work attire a few minutes later. Pam opened her eyes and smiled at him. "Sorry, I hope I didn't wake you," he said. Pam shook her head no.

"Can't sleep for the life of me," she said, sitting up. Jim sat down next to her. "Are you sure I should stay home?"

He brushed a hair out of her face and kissed her on the lips. "Positive," he said. He stood and walked toward the door. As he was walking out, he turned to her. "Call me if you need anything," he told her. And then he was gone.

* * *

Jim would be lying if he said he wasn't worried about Pam. He was a total mess at work. All these thoughts were running through his head. _What if she has a seizure and I'm not there? Why didn't I let her come to work? Hell, why didn't I just stay home with her? I'm such an idiot!_ Every time the phone rang, he was scared that it would be Pam calling from the hospital to tell him she had a seizure and hurt herself. The phone would ring, his heart would race, and then it would stop when he heard the voice of a client.

He was going crazy and he had to get the hell out of there, even if it was just for a moment. He had to go see Pam and make sure she was okay. It was almost time for his lunch break, so he decided to go then. _She's going to be okay_, he kept trying to convince himself.

The very second his break started, he got up from his desk and bolted out the door. Not wanting to wait for the elevator, he ran down the stairs. He was surprised he didn't fall flat on his face. But he reached his car in no time, and before he knew it, he was home.

Jim burst through the door. Pam was nowhere in sight. He ran down the hallway and heard the shower running. He was a nervous wreck, and he was scared about what might be beyond the door. He was fearful to find Pam unconscious from falling and hitting her head on the side of the tub. He shook those thoughts out of his head, and slowly opened the door. Jim saw a silhouette in the shower curtain. Pam was okay, and he was very relieved. He quietly stepped out of the bathroom, and walked out to the kitchen. Pam came out a few minutes later dressed in a t-shirt and a pair of his boxers. Her hair was still wet, and Jim couldn't take his eyes off of her. She looked adorable.

Pam was startled to see Jim sitting at the kitchen table eating a ham and cheese sandwich. "What umm..." she started to say. "What are you doing here?"

Jim chuckled as he stuffed the last bit of his sandwich into his mouth. "What? Are you not happy to see me?" he asked, pretending to be offended. He chewed and swallowed. "That hurts, Beesly." She walked over to him and playfully swatted at him. He pulled her down onto his lap.

She kissed him on the cheek, and laid her head on his shoulder. Jim's shirt was getting wet from her hair, but he couldn't care less. "Of course I'm happy to see you," Pam told him. "I'm just wondering why you're here."

He sighed. "I was going crazy at work."

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"I was just so worried about you, and I shouldn't have gone to work today. I should have just stayed with you. I feel so stupid leaving you here. I mean, what if-" he didn't finish the sentence. He couldn't.

He was staring at the floor. Pam stood up and looked down at him. "Jim," she got his attention after saying his name a few times. "You shouldn't feel bad for leaving me here. Not one bit. I'm okay here by myself, so don't worry. Alright?" Jim just nodded.

"Good," she said, smiling at him. "Now go change and get back to work, okay?"

Jim nodded once more, then stood up and hugged her.

Before he knew it, his break was almost over. He quickly changed into dry clothes and headed back to work.

* * *

_Why is this day going by so slowly? _Jim thought to himself. He was getting irritated. He wanted to go home so bad he could cry, and he wanted to be with Pam because he still didn't feel right about leaving her alone. Sadly, he was chained to his desk, and his knee was bouncing up and down as he stared at the clock. At 4:45, Jim decided to sneak out. _Screw it, _Jim thought. He couldn't wait any longer. Michael was in his office with his door shut and Dwight was on the phone with a client. Jim took advantage of the situation; he gathered all his things and walked out of the front door. As it was closing behind him, he could hear Dwight shouting at him, "Where do you think you're going? It's not 5:00 yet!" Jim kept walking. He smiled when he got in his car and started it. He just couldn't wait to get home.

On the way home, Jim stopped somewhere to buy flowers for Pam. He thought she could use a little get-well gift. If she's up for it, maybe taking her out to dinner would be a good idea too, he figured.

After purchasing a nice bouquet of red roses, he drove home. Sadly, when Jim arrived, Pam's car was gone. Jim unlocked the front door to the house and let himself in. There it was on the fridge: a post-it note written by Pam in her cute handwriting that he adores.

_Grocery shopping._

_I love you._

Jim smiled at that. He couldn't help it; he loves her so much.

He started opening cabinets looking for a vase to put the roses in. After he found one, he filled it with water and placed the roses in it. It looked great, and he couldn't wait to give them to Pam.

An hour passed, and she still wasn't home. He was growing very impatient, so he decided to call her. He just wanted to hear her voice. No, actually, he _needed_ to hear it. Her voice is like his drug, especially with how she's been feeling lately. After a few rings, it went to voice mail. "Pam, where are you? I've been home for an hour and you're still not here. Please hurry. Love you, bye."

Not long after Jim hung up, his phone started ringing. It was a number he did not recognize. "Hello?" he answered.

A woman's voice was on the other end of the phone. "Hello, is this Jim Halpert?"

"Yes," Jim said, slightly annoyed. He wasn't in the mood for this.

"Jim, I'm calling from Mercy Hospital. I have a Miss Pam Beesly here, and you're listed as her emergency contact."

Jim swallowed the lump in his throat. "What happened? Is she okay? Please tell me she's okay!"

"She was found in her car knocked unconscious. She crashed her car into a pole." Jim's stomach was in knots. At first he didn't want to believe it, but then reality sunk in, and his mind changed from panic and disbelief to I need to be with Pam.

"Hello? Are you still there?" the woman asked.

"I'm on my way!" he practically shouted. He snapped his phone shut, grabbed his keys, and ran out of the door faster than the speed of light.

* * *

**Thanks for reading. Again, I apologize for taking so freakin' long. It HOPEFULLY won't happen again.**


End file.
